Statistics published by the press watchdog show that 28 journalists have lost their lives while working, along with three media assistants.
A further 247 journalists were imprisoned, as well as 119 “citizen journalists,” and 14 media assistants.
The figures concern only media workers who were “killed or imprisoned in connection with their journalistic work,” according to RSF. The statistics do not include those who were killed or imprisoned for reasons unrelated to their work or for whom the link with their work has not yet been confirmed.
Mexico is the most dangerous place for journalists, with 5 killed, followed by Iraq (4) and Honduras, Pakistan and Syria, that each saw three reporters murdered.
China jailed most journalists by far (72), followed by Egypt (29), Saudi Arabia (20), Iran (15) and Turkey (14). The vast majority of journalists jailed by China belong to the Muslim Uyghur or Khazak minorities and worked for news outlets in Xinjiang Autonomous region, currently the target of a massive crackdown by the central authorities in Beijing.
